Heel-stiffener machine



2 ShtS-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) K

A. P. STOWB. HEEL STIFFBNER MAGHINB.

No. 432,647. Patented July 22, 1890.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. F. STOWE.

HEEL STIFFENBB. MACHINE.

No. 432,647. Patented July 22, 18

MINESSES fNI/'ENTUJ l UNITED STATES l v PATENT OFFICE.

AARON F. STOWE, OF VORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

HEEL-STIFFEN ER MACHINE..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,647, dated July 22, 1890.

Application filed August 2l, 1889. Serial No. 321,448. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON F. STOWE, a citizen of the United States, residing at forcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Condensing and Curving lounters'for Boots or Shoes, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my present invention is to provide a simple and efficient mechanism whereby boot or shoe counters can be condensed and curved, or what is commonly known as clam-shelled, in an lexpeditious and thorough manner;

Another object 'is to afford a machine for the purposes named having condensing-rollers relatively arranged and operated in combination with presser-feet that act in conjunction with said condensing-rollers in a manner' to effect the condensing` and curving operation, as hereinafter explained.

Another object is to afford a machine for the purpose specified having convex and concave condensing-rolls of different workingdiameters geared for synchronous axial rotation, in combination with yielding presserfeet having guides and inclined working-surfaces that act in conjunction therewith, as more fully hereinafter explained.

4Another object is to provide, in combination with the rollers and the yielding pressers, a presser-supporting headthat can be adjusted, and means for adjusting said head, together with the top-roll mechanism, for accommodating various thicknesses of stock, and for meeting other requirements of service.

Another object is to provide a machine for the purpose named having facilities for independently regulating or varying the size of the throat-space between the two rolls and the space between the bed-roll and presserfoot surfaces.

These objects I attain by mechanism constructed and organized for operation substantially as explained, the particular subjectmatter claimed being hereinafter definitely specied.

In the drawings, Figure l is `a front View of a machine embracing my improvements. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section showing the top 5 5 of the head-frame and top-roll journal-boxes. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. i is a front view of the rolls separate. Fig. 5

vis a vertical section through the rolls, pressers, and presser-adjusting devices. Fig. 6 is 6o a vertical section through the journal-boxes at one end of the machine. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of one of the presser-feet, with the deiiector or yielding throat-plate thereon, and Fig. 8 is a separate perspective view of one 65 presser-foot and its spring-plate.

Referring to parts, A denotes the main frame; B, the bed-roll mounted in journalboxes B', arranged to move up and down in the guiding-jaws of the frame and sustained 7o by a suitable yielding pressing mechanism, which lifts said journal-boxes and bed-rollV upward with the requisite degree of force.

O indicates the top roll mounted in journal-boxes C', that are adjustable in the jaws 75 of the frame, but are rigidly sustained against upward pressure by the cams c, screws e', and cam-shaft E, which latter are combined with the capot the frame in well-known manner, and a hand-wheel E2 is provided on the shaft, 8o whereby adjustment of the boxes C and parts connected therewith can be effected. The journal-boxes C are supported by a bar c2, placed across the jaws, and a spring eS within the box-casting, as heretofore practiced, or as shown in Fig. C. f

The roll B for compound curves of clamshell form has a convex working-surface, and the roll C is concaved to match the sanne, as indicated. (See Fig. vi.) yThe working diam- 9o eter of the convexed roll B is preferably greater than the working-diameter of the concaved roll C, and the gears and pinions that impart motion to the rolls from the operating-shaft II are best proportioned to give synchronous axial rotation to the respective rolls; hence the working surfaces or peripheries of the two rolls move at different speeds andexert a crowding action on the fibers of the stock between them. This "varoc riation of speed might also be attained by rolls of the same diameter operated .at different speeds by variation in the proportion of the driving-gearing.

D D indicate presser-feet or guides disposed at front and rear of the rolls, and which serve for pressing and holding the stock against the forming-surface and work in con junction with the roll B for maintaining the stock curved while the fiber is being compacted and condensed by the rolling action. These pressers D are made substantially as shown in Figs. 5, 7, and S. The shank D2, which projects upward from the presser-foot, is supported in a suitable opening t in a bar or supporting-head F, that is connected with the top journal-boxes C', as indicated. The shank of the presser is confined from turning by a stud f, the end of which engages a groove in the shank., A screw-bolt I is threaded to the end of the presser-sl1ank,and aeheck-nut e J is fitted thereon above the bar F, whereby the presser-foot is supported. A spring F within the opening above the shank serves for forcing the presser toward the roll B.

The foot-plate of the presser D is made with a concaved seat or working-surface D', that substantially conforms to the surface of the forming-roll B, and which matches onto said roll when in working position for pressing and holding the stock to the proper curvature while it is formed and compacted by the action of the rolls. The pressing-surfaces D are slightly inclined relatively to the curvature of the roll-surface in the direction of the feed on both the front and rear feet, so that the stock can enter freely between the front part of the presser and roll surfaces, while the space being gradually contracted effects the squeezing and smoothing of the stock between the surfaces as it passes toward and beneath the rear edge or heel of the pressers. The presser is best provided with side flanges d, to serve as guides for directing the counter into the bite of the rolls in proper relation to the swell of the convex portion, and so that it will pass the workingsurfaces and be discharged in proper manner. The width of the presser-foot D between the sides d d may be more or less, as required to accommodate the size of the counters or stock to be operated upon. The forward presser is preferably provided with a deiiector or spring-plate P for directing the end ot' the stock into the space between the surface D and roll B, said deflectorplate being` ar-V ranged as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

The bolt I is loose in the opening t', but threaded to the shank of the presser-foot and to the nut J. Consequently the presser-foot can by turning the bolt I or nut .I be adjusted for opening or closing the throat or space between the presser-foot'and surface of roll B independent of the adjustment of the roll C and head-bar F. Thus while the supporting head and top roll are adjusted for varying j the thickness of stock, the presser-feet can be adjusted for regulating its pressure in a taining the bearings of the roll B consists in the present instance, and preferably, of two pairs of knuckle-joint arms G, an adjustable connection K from one pair of arms to the other, a pressu 11e-spring L for expanding said connection, and an adjusting-screw m and hand-wheel M for regulating the `tension of the spring-or force exerted thereby 011 the arms G, said parts being arranged and operating substantially as illustrated, and as employed in the leather-splitting machine described in Letters Patent No. 346,389, heretofore granted me.

In the operation, power being applied to the operating-shaft II by belt or pulley R, the rolls B and C are rotated. The counters, pref erably in dry condition, are fed into the machine one at a time by introducing the end of the counter in the guideway above the deflector P and between the iianges d d. The end of the counter is caught between the first presser-foot and roll B and carried into the bite between the convex end concave rolls B and C, whereby it is forced forward under the second presser-foot D, curved and condensed by the rolls B and C under pressure induced by the knuckle-joint arms G and spring K, and then discharged at the rear side of the machine. The action upon the stock due to the differential surface speed of the roll-peripheries, together with the squeezing, smoothing, and holding action of the concaved surface D of the presser-feet D, imparts a very thorough and permanent set to the fibers both in lateral and longitudinal curvature, so that the counter is delivered from the machine thoroughly clam-shelled or formed and condensed in a satisfactory manner.

It will be Observed that with my improved mechanism the stock is held in a curved position against the roll-surface while it is being condensed by the action of the rolls C and B, the final step in the process being a smoothing action by the stationary concaved presser-foot, that irons the leather down upon the roll-surface. Consequently the fibers are impacted in that form more thoroughly and permanently, and the counter maintainsits shape in better manner than with the common method. ture of my invention.

The feet D, in addition to their function as pressers and guides, also serve as vguards to keep the fingers of the attendant from the bite of the rollers, so that the machine can be safely operated by a child or unskilled person.

For compoundly-curved or clam-shelled. counters a concave and convex roll is em-v ployed; but in case of simply-curved coun ters or stock the rolls can be straight, Oras plain cylinders, the surface D of the presser to have a cavetto form to match the form of the bed-roll.

For simply curved work the presser-feetA` may be extended laterally along` the straight This is a very important fea- IOO side flanges d; but for clam-shell or coinpoundly-eurved work the concaved pressersurface D and the side guidesd are best employed.

One important advantage incident to this mechanism is that the stock can be successfully worked when dryor without moistening the leather previous to passing it through the machine, and the counters when thus curved are not liable to twist out of place by drying, as when formed wet and then dried.

I am aware that pairs of rolls comprising a convex with a concave roll have heretofore been employed in machines for rollin g leather, and I do not therefore claim such rolls irrespective of their combination with other devices and their organization in mechanism for operating as described.

I am also aware that mechanism has heretofore been patented wherein spring-pressed guides between successive rollers arranged about a central roll are employed for directing the stock from one roller to another roller in the series. Such guides, however, were not so much designed to give pressure as to fill the space between the several rollers, and were not adapted to serve as practically rigid presser-feet for ironing or smoothing down the material as a final step in the condensing operation. It will be understood that I disclaim such previous structure of springpressed guides having the feature of a mere director between rolls.

It will also be understood that the knucklejoint arms, their spring, and adjusting devices are claimed herein only as an element in the combination.

I claim as my invention herein to be secured by Letters Patentl. In a machine for the purpose specilied, the combination of the yielding bed-roller, the non-yielding top roller, the stationary presser-feet, disposed one at the front and one at the rear of said rolls, and having faces that' match the bed-roll surface, but standing at a slight inclination 4thereto to afford a wedgeshaped passway, an upwardly and downwardly adjustable support wliereon said pressenfeet are mounted, and means, substantially as described, for raising and depressing said support.

2. In a machine for the purpose specified, the combination of the bed-roll, the top roll, a non-rotatable presser-foot having a concaved pressing-surface slightly inclined and adjacent to the surface of said bed-roll, the shank of the presser movably retained in its supporter, a spring forcing said presserfoot toward the roll with a yielding action, and an adjusting-screw that limits the action as the presser-foot approaches the roll surface.

3. In a machine for the purpose specified,`

yielding supportingbearings, the top roll mounted in rigidly-supported bearings that are adjustable toward and from said bed-roll, the presser-feet disposed respectively at front and rear of said bed-roll, the presser-foot-supporting head attached to the top-roll journalboxes, the springs F and adjusting-bolts I in connection with the presser-feet shanks, and supporting-head for regulating the position of said presser-feet in relation to the bedroll surface.

4. In a machine for the purpose specified, the combination of the convex roll,the concave roll, and the yielding presser-feet disposed at front and rear adjacent to the bite of the rolls, the upwardly and downwardly adjustable supporting-head attached to the journal-boxes that carry the concave roller, the adjustingscrews an d p ressu re-sprin gs forindependen tly regulatin g said presser-feet in relation to the roll, and the camsand top shaft for adjusting the position of said top-roll j ournal-boXes, top roll, and presser-supporting head relatively to the bed-roll, as set forth.

5. In aV machine for the purpose specified, the combination of the bed-roll, the top roll, a pairof yielding presser-feet adjacent tothe working-surface of the bed-roll, each having a surface that substantially matches the bedroll surface, transverse supports for said presser-feetarranged at front and rear of the top roll whereon said presser-feet are individu ally adj ustable,adj nsti n g-screws for regulating the position of the several presser-feet in relation to the supports, and pressure-inducing mechanism, substantially as described, combined with the bed-roll journal-bearings for forcing the said rolls together and against the presser-feet for condensing and curving the stock, as set forth. i

G. The combination of the bed-roll, its journal boxes independently movable in the frame, th e kn tickle-joint arms su pportin g said boxes, thel expansible connection and pressure-sprin g between the knuckles of said arms, the top roll, its journal-boxes adjustable in the frame and rigidly 'sustained against pressure from the bed-roll, the presser-footsupporting head attached to said top journalboxes, the presser-feet having shanks confined in said supporting-head, and the adjusting-screws, springs, and cams for elevating and depressing said top roll, supportinghead, and presser-feet, substantially as set forth.

7. In a machine for the ,purpose specified, the combination, with the convex rolh the concave roll, and the presser-foot, of the depending guide iianges at the sides of the working-faces for supporting the stock laterally, as setforth. l

8. In a machine for the purpose specified, the combination, with the convex roll, the concave roll, and the yielding presser-foot having its face eoncaved to match the roll-I surface and provided with the guide-flanges at its sides, of the deflector-plate P beneath IOO IIO

rec

the foot for direetingthe stock in to the throat or space between the roll and presser-foot, substantially as set forth.

9. In a machine for the purpose speeiiied, a pair of rolls comprising a convex roll of larger Working' diameter and a concave 1011 of smaller working diameter, an operatingsh'aft from which both said rolls are driven by gears, said gears being arranged to impart synchronous axial rotation to the respective rolls, in combination With a pair of eoneaved non-rotatable presser-feet at front and rear of the working-hite of the rolls and presenting' slightly-inclined Working-surfaces that press the material operated upon to the snr- I5 face of the forming-roll, and means for regulating the adjustment and the pressure of said presser-feet on said rolls, substantially as set forth.

Vitnessiny hand this 19th day of August, 2o

XVitnesses:

CHAs. H. BURLEIGH, J. MARCUS RICE. 

